Last week was my 11 year wedding anniversary. Cheers to us! I loved planning our wedding, however unfortunately, I tied the knot long before Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest were around and it makes me wonder what it is like to plan and host a wedding in this digital and social sharing age we now live in!? Therefore, I felt the urge to consult a wedding expert to give us the full scoop on the hottest wedding trends and proper wedding etiquette in the social media age of enlightenment we live in today.
2013 Hot Summer Wedding Trends
Branding Your Wedding From Start to Finish
Customized stationary—From engagement announcements, to save the dates, wedding invites, dinner menus and even personalized napkins bride and grooms are creating their own brand. Combining their initials or names, they’re creating a personalized logo or monogram to integrate throughout their journey to the bid day.
Create a unique hashtag—(i.e. #FinchWedding) for use on social media channels such as Twitter or Instagram, and inform your guests to utilize it. That way you can also track the great photos they’ll capture too.
Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
Get Gatsby-Inspired
Hollywood’s latest blockbuster, “The Great Gatsby,” has inspired opulent wedding elements this season. Think champagne bubbles, lavish details, sparkles and gilded glamour throughout.
From jewelry for the bride to suits for the men, all you need is to book a venue reminiscent of Gatsby’s mansion.
To Tweet or Not to Tweet?
Digital Wedding Etiquette—Incorporating social media at weddings is a new trend, whether RSVP-ing for an event through Facebook or posting photos online, there is certainly etiquette and practices you may want to brush up on.
Wedding Paper Divas recently conducted an online survey and found interesting data including: seven in ten Twitter users reported tweeting while in attendance at a wedding, while only four in ten surveyed said social media was encouraged.
More Than Just Cake
It’s not only about the statement five-tiered wedding cake anymore but creating a fun experience for your guests. Think dessert buffets with full spreads of cookies, cupcakes, macaroons or create a unique candy “bar” instead.
Unique Guestbook
Take a step away from the traditional and create a personalized guestbook that captures the bride and groom’s journey right up to the wedding. Fun pages, games and fill-in-the blank questionnaires about the couple will make it more fun for guests to sign and they’ll learn something about the couple along the way.
Incorporating Nature & Going Green
Seeking inspiration from nature can be both romantic and responsible—whether having your wedding at a botanical garden, vineyard, backyard or forest setting, there are many elements to highlight.
Incorporate go-green components such as serving a unique farm-to-table dinner menu or pouring earth-conscious wines from a local vineyard.
Give back to your guests while cutting costs by making your own custom, sustainable favors that harness the tranquil beauty of nature.
Place a recipe card incorporating seasonal produce specific to the area and one or two dry ingredients in a pint sized basket or burlap bag. Incorporate the dish into your rehearsal dinner menu or post wedding brunch so your guests can do their best to duplicate it on their own. The elegant edible won’t break the bank or wind up in a landfill.
Beyond plants, you might also consider donating to a local charity for a wedding favor idea that never goes out of season.
Amber Harrison – Wedding Paper Divas
A lifelong etiquette devotee and lover of beautiful paper, Amber combines traditional elegance and modern day verve as the Wedding & Etiquette Maven for Wedding Paper Divas. Her fresh perspective on digital etiquette is instrumental in her crusade to address modern manners and wedding solutions for the next generation of brides and grooms.
Amber has recently been featured in: Bridal Guide, Brides, Carolina Bride, Huffington Post and on the Today Show.
Comments
A wedding hashtag? Really? Why?!?